Anza-Borrego: Plant Guide To California Riding and Hiking Trail: Visitor Center to Culp Valley

This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides
Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

This trail begins at the southeast corner of the Visitor Center parking lot. This trail has guides going in both directions; the other one begins in Culp Valley.
Fieldwork has only been done in December 2005 / January 2006, and so this guide is incomplete for most annuals and some perennials. The estimates of the abundance for the annuals and perennials in the guide might be severe underestimates of what would be found in February and March of a good rainfall year.
Without a car shuttle, most people will probably turn around near the halfway point at the 2600 foot saddle. Hence for each of the two guides, we do something that otherwise would seem peculiar. The estimate of the number of plants and number of locations for each species gives only the numbers appropriate to each guide before that saddle. After the saddle, it will give the numbers from the other guide. (This paragraph is probably way too confusing; most people can just ignore it or figure it out when they are on the trail.)
Highlights of This Trail

Number of Unique Taxa On This Trail

The following histogram gives the number of trails in our database that contain each taxon on this trail up to the 2600 foot saddle. We had 91 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 7 of those trails, including this one, are in Anza-Borrego State Park. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found only on this list, among all the trails in our database; numbers of "7" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area. The other Anza-Borrego Trails are very incomplete.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 11 12%
2 17 19%
3 17 19%
4 11 12%
5 10 11%

1-5 66 74%
6-10 13 15%
11-15 1 1%
16-20 1 1%
21-25 3 3%
26-30 1 1%
31-35 2 2%
36-40 0 0%
41-45 0 0%
46-50 0 0%
51-55 1 1%
56-60 1 1%
Total Taxa 89 100%

We found 15 additional taxa not in the above table, since they have not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ?, sp or ssp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries in the #all column.
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time

The following table gives the dates the trail up to the 2600 foot saddle was walked and taxa recorded. After each visit, the table gives the total number of taxa on the list and the breakdown of the taxa without positive identification. See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides to understand the symbols below.

Visit Date Visit # # taxa # "?" # "sp" # "~" # "ssp"
12/6/2005 1 69 2 7 10 4
12/19/2005 2 80 2 5 10 2
12/23/2005 3 87 4 7 10 1
12/23/2005 3 93 5 9 10 1
1/3/2006 4 104 5 10 11 1

The fieldwork on 12/6/05 was only to mile 1.46. On 12/19/05, the fieldwork was to mile 1.57, adding 5 new species to the guide in the new portion.
There are two entries for 12/23/05, since the trail guide was extended from mile 1.57 to mile 2.22. The first entry gives the numbers only up to mile 2.22, so a comparison can be made with previous entries.
The trail guide was extended from mile 2.22 to mile 3.06 on 1/3/06, but no new species were found in the previously-covered portion of the trail.
We thank Paula Knoll for her assistance in the fieldwork on 12/19/05, and James Dillane for his assistance on 12/23/05.
Botanical Trip Reports

The Plant Guide

The mileages are derived from a GPS recording of this trail, but some sections were not accurately GPS'd. Mileages should be accurate to ~0.02 to 0.05 miles.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (7 pages)

mile s # id Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin at signed trailhead on southeast corner of Visitor Center Parking Lot; elevation ~835 feet (255 m). Guide gives species abundance only to saddle at mile 3.06 for those found earlier than that point.
0.00 b 1 ~ *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 10 / 1 23
0.00 b 2 small-seeded spurge Chamaesyce polycarpa 99 / 9 15
0.00 b 3 sp Nemacladus sp. 99 / 9
0.00 b 4 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 56
0.00 r 5 New Mexico ditaxis Ditaxis neomexicana 50 / 9 2
0.00 l 6 gander's cholla Opuntia ganderi 50 / 9 5
0.00 b 7 brittlebush Encelia farinosa 50 / 9 7
0.00 r Sign: "Riding and Hiking Trail (ahead); No Dogs Past This Point"
0.00 b 8 indigo bush Psorothamnus schottii 50 / 9 6
0.00 r 9 burroweed Ambrosia dumosa 40 / 9 7
0.00 l 10 ~ common phacelia Phacelia distans 99 / 9 10
0.00 l Check for id of the Cryptantha here
0.01 l 11 chinch-weed Pectis papposa var. papposa 40 / 9 3
0.01 r 12 Emory's rock-daisy Perityle emoryi 20 / 9 4
0.01 r 13 desert dandelion Malacothrix glabrata 5 / 2 5
0.02 r 14 small-flowered poppy Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora 10 / 2 5
0.02 Trail curves left
0.03 r 15 wishbone plant Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa 30 / 9 3
0.03 Trail curves right
0.04 l 16 *Asian mustard Brassica tournefortii 20 / 9 5
0.04 r 17 chuparosa Justicia californica 40 / 9 5
0.05 r 18 ssp western tansy-mustard Descurainia pinnata 5 / 1
0.05 l (wire-lettuce, Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora)
0.06 Trail curves right
0.06 l 19 cheesebush Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola 20 / 9 5
0.08 r Dead desert lavender, Hyptis emoryi
0.08 l 20 ~ California suncup Camissonia californica 99 / 9 21
0.09 Cross small wash
0.10 l 21 Guadalupe cryptantha Cryptantha maritima 99 / 9 2
0.10 l 22 desert thornapple Datura discolor 5 / 5 3
0.13 r 23 desert twining snapdragon Antirrhinum filipes 4 / 4 2
0.16 r 24 creosote bush Larrea tridentata 40 / 9 5
0.32 Trail jogs left
0.37 Cross faint old road (or buried water pipe) heading toward the hills from the water tanks to left
0.43 l 25 chia Salvia columbariae 1 / 1 22
0.43 l Dead desert trumpet, Eriogonum inflatum
0.47 r 26 teddy-bear cholla Opuntia bigelovii 50 / 9 3
0.48 l Dead ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens next to trail; live one off-trail
0.50 Cross wash
0.54 l 27 wire-lettuce Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora 30 / 9 6
0.54 l 28 desert lavender Hyptis emoryi 50 / 9 5
0.58 l (Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
0.58 b Enter forest of teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii
0.60 r 29 fringed amaranth Amaranthus fimbriatus 20 / 4 4
0.66 l 30 desert agave Agave deserti 20 / 9 3
0.66 l 31 ocotillo Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens 5 / 5 6
0.72 Jct. old road; now horse trail
0.78 r 32 desert trumpet Eriogonum inflatum 1 / 1 3
0.78 Cross small wash with 2 branches
0.82 Jct. main Hellhole Canyon Trail; elevation ~950 feet (290 m); cross it and continue straight ahead to pick up this trail again
0.83 r (Old termite tube at base of dead plant; small-flowered fiddleneck, Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii)
0.83 l 33 Nealley three-awn Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi 3 / 3 3
0.83 l Sign: "California Riding and Hiking Trail"
0.83 b 34 sp peppergrass Lepidium sp. 99 / 9
0.83 r 35 desert plantain Plantago ovata 99 / 9 3
0.84 l 36 narrowleaf ditaxis Ditaxis lanceolata 50 / 9 4
0.84 r 37 yellow-head Trichoptilium incisum 20 / 4 1
0.84 r 38 sp combseed Pectocarya sp. 20 / 2
0.84 l 39 ? ann woolly-star? Eriastrum sp.? 99 / 9
0.85 r 40 six-weeks three-awn Aristida adscensionis 5 / 1 5
0.85 l 41 ? baby annual like suncup Camissonia sp.? /
0.85 r 42 rock hibiscus Hibiscus denudatus 10 / 5 3
0.85 l 43 sp pebble pincushion? Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia? 99 / 9
0.89 l 44 thick-leaved ground cherry Physalis crassifolia 20 / 9 4
0.90 b 45 downy dalea Dalea mollissima 3 / 1 3
0.90 l 46 ~ brittle spineflower Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu 5 / 1 4
0.90 b Enter huge field of Chaenactis
0.93 l 47 California fagonia Fagonia laevis 10 / 9 4
0.96 l 48 beavertail cactus Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris 5 / 5 8
0.97 r 49 sp fivewing spiderling Boerhavia intermedia 20 / 4 3
1.02 r 50 California barrel cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus var. lecontei⁺ 1 / 1 2
1.02 r 51 ~ bracted blazing star Mentzelia involucrata 5 / 3 2
1.04 l Check for first Mojave ragwort, Senecio mohavensis near here
1.04 l 52 small-flowered fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii 20 / 2 9
1.05 r 53 Engelmann's hedgehog cactus Echinocereus engelmannii 10 / 9 4
1.06 l 54 jojoba Simmondsia chinensis 10 / 9 2
1.06 l 55 fish-hook cactus Mammillaria dioica 10 / 9 2
1.07 l 56 desert spike-moss Selaginella eremophila 50 / 9 2
1.07 l 57 woolly lipfern Cheilanthes parryi 30 / 9 3
1.07 l 58 sp intermediate larkspur? Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum? 10 / 3 3
1.07 l (Pima rhatany, Krameria erecta)
1.10 Jct. ridgeline between two side-drainages; trail soon veers to right of ridgeline; small peak behind trail on ridge has a good view and many Mentzelia.
1.12 l 59 ~ Mojave ragwort Senecio mohavensis 50 / 9 4
1.13 l (California trixis, Trixis californica var. californica; San Felipe dogweed, Adenophyllum porophylloides)
1.13 l 60 Pima rhatany Krameria erecta 20 / 9 2
1.13 Trail now zig-zags up the slope, using fairly tight switchbacks
1.14 l (California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus)
1.18 Check for new annual species
1.18 l (Parish's viguiera, Viguiera parishii)
1.19 r 61 desert lotus Lotus rigidus 10 / 5 2
1.20 l 62 ? unk ann erect fabaceae Lupinus sp.? 5 / 2
1.20 r 63 ~ white fiesta flower Pholistoma membranaceum 10 / 1 4
1.21 r 64 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 2 / 1 31
1.21 r 65 San Felipe dogweed Adenophyllum porophylloides 10 / 4 3
1.22 b 66 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 20 / 7 54
1.22 l 67 California trixis Trixis californica var. californica 10 / 9 4
1.23 r 68 Parish's viguiera Viguiera parishii 5 / 2 3
1.24 l 69 ? many unk baby annuals
1.26 r 70 white rhatany Krameria grayi 2 / 2 1
1.26 r 71 rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus 10 / 2 30
1.26 r (sweetbush, Bebbia juncea var. aspera)
1.27 l 72 broom twinberry Menodora scoparia 2 / 1 1
1.27 l 73 Coulter's lyrepod Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri 5 / 3 2
1.27 r (Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi)
1.28 l 74 ~ short-bannered coastal lotus Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus 30 / 9 4
1.29 l Jct. steep use trail to fencepost and USGS Benchmark; trail elevation ~1330 feet (405 m)
1.30 Cross small drainage
1.32 Trail turns left 90°
1.35 Switchback left
1.35 r 75 sweetbush Bebbia juncea var. aspera 10 / 9 10
1.36 r 76 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium 20 / 9 18
1.36 r 77 big galleta Pleuraphis rigida 5 / 3 5
1.36 Switchback right.
1.38 r 78 ~ muilla Muilla maritima 1 / 1 8
1.42 l 79 ayenia Ayenia compacta 5 / 3 2
1.43 r (star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum var. eremicum)
1.46 r 80 ~ desert dudleya Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides 4 / 4 1
1.48 l 81 Arizona spurge Chamaesyce arizonica 1 / 1 2
1.49 r 82 Vasey's sage Salvia vaseyi 10 / 5 3
1.49 r 83 odora Porophyllum gracile 5 / 3 7
1.51 r Old termite tube at base of dead brittlebush, Encelia farinosa.
1.52 r 84 California juniper Juniperus californica⁺ 5 / 5 1
1.53 Trail forks, take right branch; trail now travels in a more open area; (left branch just goes to interestingly-looking rocks to left?)
1.54 r Weird gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi, with one erect main stem with spreading branches, and another prostrate stem with the usual erect strict branches
1.55 l 85 California barrel cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus 10 / 9 3
1.56 l (spearleaf, Matelea parvifolia)
1.56 r 86 star-flowered bedstraw Galium stellatum var. eremicum 3 / 3 2
1.56 Cross small drainage
1.57 Saddle; elevation ~1540 feet (470 m); jct. with old portion of trail that descends to S22 at milepost 16.0; curve right toward Culp Valley
1.61 l (matchweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae)
1.63 r 87 matchweed Gutierrezia sarothrae⁺ 5 / 3 10
1.65 r 88 sp heliotrope phacelia? Phacelia crenulata? 1 / 1
1.65 Switchback right.
1.66 Switchback left.
1.69 Switchback right.
1.71 Switchback left.
1.71 l Check if this nearly-dead plant is a shrubby Eriogonum
1.79 r 89 ? dead annual like silver puffs ? 1 / 1
1.84 Switchback right; trail now heads a tiny bit north of due west for 0.16 miles
1.86 r 90 sp per grass like fountain grass ? 1 / 1
1.87 l 91 *Bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon⁺ 1 / 1 34
1.88 r (boundary goldenbush, Ericameria brachylepis)
1.90 l 92 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum 5 / 3 2
2.08 l 93 red-gland spurge Chamaesyce melanadenia 50 / 9 1
2.15 b 94 spearleaf Matelea parvifolia 2 / 1 1
2.22 l (desert prickly-pear, Opuntia phaeacantha)
2.30 l Check for different spike-moss
2.34 r 95 boundary goldenbush Ericameria brachylepis 5 / 5 1
2.41 l 96 sp mallow Sphaeralcea sp. 1 / 1
2.42 l Check for different shrub with opposite linear short leaves
2.59 Local high point on trail
2.64 Local low point on trail
2.67 l 97 western bernardia Bernardia myricifolia 1 / 1 1
2.73 b 98 ~ desert apricot Prunus fremontii 10 / 2 2
2.74 l 99 sp grass like Bigelow's blue grass grass like Poa bigelovii 5 / 1
2.75 r 100 woolly Indian paintbrush Castilleja foliolosa 1 / 1 6
2.77 r 101 desert sage Salvia eremostachya 1 / 1 1
2.77 Join wash of this major side drainage
2.81 Leave wash
2.85 r 102 desert prickly-pear Opuntia phaeacantha 5 / 2 2
2.90 Local high point on trail
2.90 Local low point on trail; now in wash again
2.93 r 103 shrubby brickellia Brickellia frutescens 5 / 1 1
2.94 Leave wash to right
3.06 Saddle; elevation ~2580 feet (785 m); plant guide now gives species abundance for remaining trail, and there may be more specimens of previous species.
3.22 l 104 ~ white mugwort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula 20 / 9 1
3.27 r 105 ssp Borrego bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. borregoense 10 / 9 1
3.85 l 106 desert scrub oak Quercus cornelius-mulleri 20 / 9 1
3.87 l 107 ~ little-leaved chaparral beard-tongue Keckiella antirrhinoides var. microphylla 2 / 2 1
3.90 r 108 ~ narrowleaf goldenbush Ericameria linearifolia 50 / 9 3
4.00 r 109 birch-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides 10 / 9 19
4.01 l 110 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 1 / 1 56
4.16 l 111 ~ desert-thorn Lycium brevipes var. brevipes 2 / 1 1
4.16 r 112 sp annual Eriogonum Eriogonum like gracile 30 / 9
4.46 l 113 bigberry manzanita Arctostaphylos glauca 2 / 2 10
4.46 l 114 ? mustard family like jewelflower Caulanthus sp.? 1 / 1
4.48 l 115 sp currant Ribes sp. like indecorum 1 / 1
4.54 116 sp annual phacelia Phacelia like minor 5 / 1
4.56 r ? (wild-cucumber?, Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus?)
4.59 l 117 Mohave yucca Yucca schidigera 5 / 2 7
4.63 b 118 sp pincushion flower Chaenactis with 1-pinnate leaf 10 / 1
5.14 119 ~ lotebush Ziziphus parryi var. parryi / 1
5.15 r 120 honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana 1 / 1 5
5.22 121 sp unk grass like desert needlegrass Achnatherum speciosum?? 50 / 9
5.27 122 ? unknown annual ? /
5.35 r 123 linear-leaved stillingia Stillingia linearifolia 3 / 1 2
5.50 124 beady lipfern Cheilanthes covillei 20 / 9 1
5.57 125 sp datura Datura sp. 1 / 1
5.62 l 126 papillate dodder Cuscuta californica var. papillosa 5 / 1 5
5.62 127 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 30 / 9 24
5.62 128 sugar bush Rhus ovata 30 / 9 26
5.63 129 desert mistletoe Phoradendron californicum 20 / 9 2
5.64 130 catclaw Acacia greggii 30 / 9 4
5.65 131 rattlesnake weed Chamaesyce albomarginata 10 / 2 11
5.66 132 Coulter's spiderling Boerhavia coulteri 40 / 5 2
5.66 l 133 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus 1 / 1 53
5.66 l 134 ~ coyote melon Cucurbita palmata 1 / 1 1
5.66 135 ssp slender wreathplant Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei 20 / 4 16
5.66 End guide in Culp Valley at shaded sign mounted on a rock pillar: "Chaparral ... and the cycle of fire", almost next to the Montezuma Highway, S22.

Comments On Specific Species

Ferocactus cylindraceus var. lecontei. This first specimen on the trail is a clear var. lecontei, with central spines 5.0-7.0 cm, occurring at an elevation of ~1000 feet (300 m), despite the Jepson Manual saying it occurs only above 2300 feet (700 m). It looks very different from all other specimens later on the trail, including very young plants, that have central spines with a minimum length of 7.0-8.0 cm, and a maximum length of 9-10 cm, and are var. cylindraceus, as indicated in the guide. The latter specimens obviously did a better job reading the floras to find out where they were supposed to grow!
Juniperus californica. There are quite a few more junipers above the location of the first specimen, although most are off-trail. Interestingly, about half of them were dead in December 2005, with some having died recently enough to still have their dead leaves intact. It looks like these specimens are the outpost toward lower elevation of this species, with some past wetter years allowing them to grow at these lower elevations, but recent drier years causing the lower-elevation specimens to die out.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	11	12%
2	17	19%
3	17	19%
4	11	12%
5	10	11%

1-5	66	74%
6-10	13	15%
11-15	1	1%
16-20	1	1%
21-25	3	3%
26-30	1	1%
31-35	2	2%
36-40	0	0%
41-45	0	0%
46-50	0	0%
51-55	1	1%
56-60	1	1%
Total Taxa	89	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
12/6/2005	1	69	2	7	10	4
12/19/2005	2	80	2	5	10	2
12/23/2005	3	87	4	7	10	1
12/23/2005	3	93	5	9	10	1
1/3/2006	4	104	5	10	11	1

mile	s	#	id	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin at signed trailhead on southeast corner of Visitor Center Parking Lot; elevation ~835 feet (255 m). Guide gives species abundance only to saddle at mile 3.06 for those found earlier than that point.
0.00	b	1	~	*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	10 / 1	23
0.00	b	2		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	99 / 9	15
0.00	b	3	sp		Nemacladus sp.	99 / 9
0.00	b	4		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	56
0.00	r	5		New Mexico ditaxis	Ditaxis neomexicana	50 / 9	2
0.00	l	6		gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	50 / 9	5
0.00	b	7		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	50 / 9	7
0.00	r			Sign: "Riding and Hiking Trail (ahead); No Dogs Past This Point"
0.00	b	8		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	50 / 9	6
0.00	r	9		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	40 / 9	7
0.00	l	10	~	common phacelia	Phacelia distans	99 / 9	10
0.00	l			Check for id of the Cryptantha here
0.01	l	11		chinch-weed	Pectis papposa var. papposa	40 / 9	3
0.01	r	12		Emory's rock-daisy	Perityle emoryi	20 / 9	4
0.01	r	13		desert dandelion	Malacothrix glabrata	5 / 2	5
0.02	r	14		small-flowered poppy	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	10 / 2	5
0.02				Trail curves left
0.03	r	15		wishbone plant	Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa	30 / 9	3
0.03				Trail curves right
0.04	l	16		*Asian mustard	Brassica tournefortii	20 / 9	5
0.04	r	17		chuparosa	Justicia californica	40 / 9	5
0.05	r	18	ssp	western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata	5 / 1
0.05	l			(wire-lettuce, Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora)
0.06				Trail curves right
0.06	l	19		cheesebush	Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola	20 / 9	5
0.08	r			Dead desert lavender, Hyptis emoryi
0.08	l	20	~	California suncup	Camissonia californica	99 / 9	21
0.09				Cross small wash
0.10	l	21		Guadalupe cryptantha	Cryptantha maritima	99 / 9	2
0.10	l	22		desert thornapple	Datura discolor	5 / 5	3
0.13	r	23		desert twining snapdragon	Antirrhinum filipes	4 / 4	2
0.16	r	24		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	40 / 9	5
0.32				Trail jogs left
0.37				Cross faint old road (or buried water pipe) heading toward the hills from the water tanks to left
0.43	l	25		chia	Salvia columbariae	1 / 1	22
0.43	l			Dead desert trumpet, Eriogonum inflatum
0.47	r	26		teddy-bear cholla	Opuntia bigelovii	50 / 9	3
0.48	l			Dead ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens next to trail; live one off-trail
0.50				Cross wash
0.54	l	27		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	30 / 9	6
0.54	l	28		desert lavender	Hyptis emoryi	50 / 9	5
0.58	l			(Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
0.58	b			Enter forest of teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii
0.60	r	29		fringed amaranth	Amaranthus fimbriatus	20 / 4	4
0.66	l	30		desert agave	Agave deserti	20 / 9	3
0.66	l	31		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	5 / 5	6
0.72				Jct. old road; now horse trail
0.78	r	32		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum	1 / 1	3
0.78				Cross small wash with 2 branches
0.82				Jct. main Hellhole Canyon Trail; elevation ~950 feet (290 m); cross it and continue straight ahead to pick up this trail again
0.83	r			(Old termite tube at base of dead plant; small-flowered fiddleneck, Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii)
0.83	l	33		Nealley three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi	3 / 3	3
0.83	l			Sign: "California Riding and Hiking Trail"
0.83	b	34	sp	peppergrass	Lepidium sp.	99 / 9
0.83	r	35		desert plantain	Plantago ovata	99 / 9	3
0.84	l	36		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	50 / 9	4
0.84	r	37		yellow-head	Trichoptilium incisum	20 / 4	1
0.84	r	38	sp	combseed	Pectocarya sp.	20 / 2
0.84	l	39	?	ann woolly-star?	Eriastrum sp.?	99 / 9
0.85	r	40		six-weeks three-awn	Aristida adscensionis	5 / 1	5
0.85	l	41	?	baby annual like suncup	Camissonia sp.?	/
0.85	r	42		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus	10 / 5	3
0.85	l	43	sp	pebble pincushion?	Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia?	99 / 9
0.89	l	44		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	20 / 9	4
0.90	b	45		downy dalea	Dalea mollissima	3 / 1	3
0.90	l	46	~	brittle spineflower	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	5 / 1	4
0.90	b			Enter huge field of Chaenactis
0.93	l	47		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	10 / 9	4
0.96	l	48		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	5 / 5	8
0.97	r	49	sp	fivewing spiderling	Boerhavia intermedia	20 / 4	3
1.02	r	50		California barrel cactus	Ferocactus cylindraceus var. lecontei⁺	1 / 1	2
1.02	r	51	~	bracted blazing star	Mentzelia involucrata	5 / 3	2
1.04	l			Check for first Mojave ragwort, Senecio mohavensis near here
1.04	l	52		small-flowered fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii	20 / 2	9
1.05	r	53		Engelmann's hedgehog cactus	Echinocereus engelmannii	10 / 9	4
1.06	l	54		jojoba	Simmondsia chinensis	10 / 9	2
1.06	l	55		fish-hook cactus	Mammillaria dioica	10 / 9	2
1.07	l	56		desert spike-moss	Selaginella eremophila	50 / 9	2
1.07	l	57		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	30 / 9	3
1.07	l	58	sp	intermediate larkspur?	Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum?	10 / 3	3
1.07	l			(Pima rhatany, Krameria erecta)
1.10				Jct. ridgeline between two side-drainages; trail soon veers to right of ridgeline; small peak behind trail on ridge has a good view and many Mentzelia.
1.12	l	59	~	Mojave ragwort	Senecio mohavensis	50 / 9	4
1.13	l			(California trixis, Trixis californica var. californica; San Felipe dogweed, Adenophyllum porophylloides)
1.13	l	60		Pima rhatany	Krameria erecta	20 / 9	2
1.13				Trail now zig-zags up the slope, using fairly tight switchbacks
1.14	l			(California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus)
1.18				Check for new annual species
1.18	l			(Parish's viguiera, Viguiera parishii)
1.19	r	61		desert lotus	Lotus rigidus	10 / 5	2
1.20	l	62	?	unk ann erect fabaceae	Lupinus sp.?	5 / 2
1.20	r	63	~	white fiesta flower	Pholistoma membranaceum	10 / 1	4
1.21	r	64		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	2 / 1	31
1.21	r	65		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	10 / 4	3
1.22	b	66		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	20 / 7	54
1.22	l	67		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	10 / 9	4
1.23	r	68		Parish's viguiera	Viguiera parishii	5 / 2	3
1.24	l	69	?	many unk baby annuals
1.26	r	70		white rhatany	Krameria grayi	2 / 2	1
1.26	r	71		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	10 / 2	30
1.26	r			(sweetbush, Bebbia juncea var. aspera)
1.27	l	72		broom twinberry	Menodora scoparia	2 / 1	1
1.27	l	73		Coulter's lyrepod	Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri	5 / 3	2
1.27	r			(Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi)
1.28	l	74	~	short-bannered coastal lotus	Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus	30 / 9	4
1.29	l			Jct. steep use trail to fencepost and USGS Benchmark; trail elevation ~1330 feet (405 m)
1.30				Cross small drainage
1.32				Trail turns left 90°
1.35				Switchback left
1.35	r	75		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	10 / 9	10
1.36	r	76		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	20 / 9	18
1.36	r	77		big galleta	Pleuraphis rigida	5 / 3	5
1.36				Switchback right.
1.38	r	78	~	muilla	Muilla maritima	1 / 1	8
1.42	l	79		ayenia	Ayenia compacta	5 / 3	2
1.43	r			(star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum var. eremicum)
1.46	r	80	~	desert dudleya	Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides	4 / 4	1
1.48	l	81		Arizona spurge	Chamaesyce arizonica	1 / 1	2
1.49	r	82		Vasey's sage	Salvia vaseyi	10 / 5	3
1.49	r	83		odora	Porophyllum gracile	5 / 3	7
1.51	r			Old termite tube at base of dead brittlebush, Encelia farinosa.
1.52	r	84		California juniper	Juniperus californica⁺	5 / 5	1
1.53				Trail forks, take right branch; trail now travels in a more open area; (left branch just goes to interestingly-looking rocks to left?)
1.54	r			Weird gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi, with one erect main stem with spreading branches, and another prostrate stem with the usual erect strict branches
1.55	l	85		California barrel cactus	Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus	10 / 9	3
1.56	l			(spearleaf, Matelea parvifolia)
1.56	r	86		star-flowered bedstraw	Galium stellatum var. eremicum	3 / 3	2
1.56				Cross small drainage
1.57				Saddle; elevation ~1540 feet (470 m); jct. with old portion of trail that descends to S22 at milepost 16.0; curve right toward Culp Valley
1.61	l			(matchweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae)
1.63	r	87		matchweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae⁺	5 / 3	10
1.65	r	88	sp	heliotrope phacelia?	Phacelia crenulata?	1 / 1
1.65				Switchback right.
1.66				Switchback left.
1.69				Switchback right.
1.71				Switchback left.
1.71	l			Check if this nearly-dead plant is a shrubby Eriogonum
1.79	r	89	?	dead annual like silver puffs	?	1 / 1
1.84				Switchback right; trail now heads a tiny bit north of due west for 0.16 miles
1.86	r	90	sp	per grass like fountain grass	?	1 / 1
1.87	l	91		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon⁺	1 / 1	34
1.88	r			(boundary goldenbush, Ericameria brachylepis)
1.90	l	92		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	5 / 3	2
2.08	l	93		red-gland spurge	Chamaesyce melanadenia	50 / 9	1
2.15	b	94		spearleaf	Matelea parvifolia	2 / 1	1
2.22	l			(desert prickly-pear, Opuntia phaeacantha)
2.30	l			Check for different spike-moss
2.34	r	95		boundary goldenbush	Ericameria brachylepis	5 / 5	1
2.41	l	96	sp	mallow	Sphaeralcea sp.	1 / 1
2.42	l			Check for different shrub with opposite linear short leaves
2.59				Local high point on trail
2.64				Local low point on trail
2.67	l	97		western bernardia	Bernardia myricifolia	1 / 1	1
2.73	b	98	~	desert apricot	Prunus fremontii	10 / 2	2
2.74	l	99	sp	grass like Bigelow's blue grass	grass like Poa bigelovii	5 / 1
2.75	r	100		woolly Indian paintbrush	Castilleja foliolosa	1 / 1	6
2.77	r	101		desert sage	Salvia eremostachya	1 / 1	1
2.77				Join wash of this major side drainage
2.81				Leave wash
2.85	r	102		desert prickly-pear	Opuntia phaeacantha	5 / 2	2
2.90				Local high point on trail
2.90				Local low point on trail; now in wash again
2.93	r	103		shrubby brickellia	Brickellia frutescens	5 / 1	1
2.94				Leave wash to right
3.06				Saddle; elevation ~2580 feet (785 m); plant guide now gives species abundance for remaining trail, and there may be more specimens of previous species.
3.22	l	104	~	white mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula	20 / 9	1
3.27	r	105	ssp	Borrego bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. borregoense	10 / 9	1
3.85	l	106		desert scrub oak	Quercus cornelius-mulleri	20 / 9	1
3.87	l	107	~	little-leaved chaparral beard-tongue	Keckiella antirrhinoides var. microphylla	2 / 2	1
3.90	r	108	~	narrowleaf goldenbush	Ericameria linearifolia	50 / 9	3
4.00	r	109		birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	10 / 9	19
4.01	l	110		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	1 / 1	56
4.16	l	111	~	desert-thorn	Lycium brevipes var. brevipes	2 / 1	1
4.16	r	112	sp	annual Eriogonum	Eriogonum like gracile	30 / 9
4.46	l	113		bigberry manzanita	Arctostaphylos glauca	2 / 2	10
4.46	l	114	?	mustard family like jewelflower	Caulanthus sp.?	1 / 1
4.48	l	115	sp	currant	Ribes sp. like indecorum	1 / 1
4.54		116	sp	annual phacelia	Phacelia like minor	5 / 1
4.56	r		?	(wild-cucumber?, Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus?)
4.59	l	117		Mohave yucca	Yucca schidigera	5 / 2	7
4.63	b	118	sp	pincushion flower	Chaenactis with 1-pinnate leaf	10 / 1
5.14		119	~	lotebush	Ziziphus parryi var. parryi	/	1
5.15	r	120		honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana	1 / 1	5
5.22		121	sp	unk grass like desert needlegrass	Achnatherum speciosum??	50 / 9
5.27		122	?	unknown annual	?	/
5.35	r	123		linear-leaved stillingia	Stillingia linearifolia	3 / 1	2
5.50		124		beady lipfern	Cheilanthes covillei	20 / 9	1
5.57		125	sp	datura	Datura sp.	1 / 1
5.62	l	126		papillate dodder	Cuscuta californica var. papillosa	5 / 1	5
5.62		127		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	30 / 9	24
5.62		128		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	30 / 9	26
5.63		129		desert mistletoe	Phoradendron californicum	20 / 9	2
5.64		130		catclaw	Acacia greggii	30 / 9	4
5.65		131		rattlesnake weed	Chamaesyce albomarginata	10 / 2	11
5.66		132		Coulter's spiderling	Boerhavia coulteri	40 / 5	2
5.66	l	133		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	1 / 1	53
5.66	l	134	~	coyote melon	Cucurbita palmata	1 / 1	1
5.66		135	ssp	slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei	20 / 4	16
5.66				End guide in Culp Valley at shaded sign mounted on a rock pillar: "Chaparral ... and the cycle of fire", almost next to the Montezuma Highway, S22.

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Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2005-2006 by Tom Chester and Wayne Armstrong
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sd/plants/guides/anza_borrego/ca_rh_trl_hh.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Wayne Armstrong
Last update: 28 January 2006.